Alhamisi, 2 Aprili 2015

Before the outbreak of Second World War socialist phenomena
was purely a Russian issue only being practiced by only United Soviet Union.
But after the Second World War the socialist ideology began to spread in every
part of the World.

1.Spread
of socialism in East Europe: The Second World War enabled Russia to
spread the socialist ideology in the eastern European nations, because Russia
was among the victor country that had been occupied by Nazi. German she began
to spread and plant socialist ideology. Country like Poland East Germany,
Hungary Czechoslovakia Bulgaria.

2.The
occurrence of the socialist revolution: In other parts of the world like
in China in Cuba and in Chile, was a great contribution to the rise of world
socialism, such revolution brought awareness among the world reputation and
later alone became model for other countries both in Africa and Russia to adopt
the socialist ideology after realizing the capitalism and imperialism are
dangerous for world peace thus the adaptation of socialism and triumph of
socialism.

3.Intensification of anti-colonial
struggle: In the colonization of the both Africa and Asia, that
intensified during the aftermath of world war two many anti-colonial
anti-struggle adopted the socialist ideologist as the best mean of getting rid
of colonial occupation, for instance Angola, Tanganyika, Mozambique and many
other countries adopted Socialist ideology to fight colonialism in their
nations.

4.The rise of the USSR: As a
leading world Super Power after world war two. It should be noted that the
aftermath of the world war two made USA and USSR to become a leading blocs in
the world, USSR used her world influence, her military supremacy and veto power
of UN to spread and support socialist Ideologies in the world, this influence
made the socialism to become triumph in the world.

5.The rise of Cold war: The Second
World War led to the rise of Cold war between the socialist block led by the
USSR and the capitalist block led by USA. The cold war was the competition
between these two blocks to win influence and domination to the world. Russia
used this cold war to support many military campaigns to the capitalist nation
in Africa, Europe and Asia which led to the further spread of socialist
ideology.

6.Mechanism used by the soviet union: These includes training revolutionaries in
the soviet union, provision scholars and provision of military support and
financial support especially after the second world war made many third world
nations to rely on socialist ideology and practicing of socialism in their
nations for instance in Tanzania, Zambia, Angola among others.

7. Development
and internationalizing:
The theory scientific socialism called for unity and solidarity among workers
and provision in the world and launch war against the evil of capitalist. Through
such campaigns the world class consciousness was developed in every corner of
the world. The communist international movements were developed with the role
of popularizing world socialism.

·The war started first in Balkans Peninsular in
which the Austria Hungary heir Archduke Francis Franz Ferdinand and his wife
Sophie were assassinated by a Bosnian Serb nationalist Gavrilo Princip on 28th
June 1914 in Bosnia capital city Sarajevo.

·The assassination of Ferdinand setoff diplomatic
crisis between Austria-Hungary and Serbia because few days later
Austria-Hungary government gave Ultimatum to Serbia to submit the assassin but Serbia
refused.

·On 28th July 1914 Austria-Hungary
invaded Bosnia with support from Russia

·On 2nd August Germany invaded Belgium
and Luxemburg and 3rd August 1914 Germany declared war against
France in the fear that France would help Russia.

·On 4th August the Britain declared
war against Germany.

·The USA joined the war on 6th April
1917 to assist the members of the Triple Entente

·The war ended on 11th November 1918
in which Germany was defeated by victorious powers.

THE CAUSES OF THE WW1

The causes for the WW1 can be recognized into two groups
namely short term and long term causes.

THE LONG TERM CAUSES

These were the causes which prepared grounds for the occurrence
of the war. These factors are as follows.

1.The development of capitalism in the
highest stage in 1860’s

This created a stiff competition among
capitalist powers such as Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Austria Hungary. For
example Germany fought a war with France over the issue of Alsace and Lorain
rich region in coal in Franco-Prussian war of 1870-1871. This contributed to
the formation of Alliances hence a war.

2.Dissatisfaction in territorial division

The partition of colonies in the Berlin
conference of 1884/5 was not fair because some European countries such as Italy
was given few colonies compared to other European countries. This created
hatred among super powers thus creating grounds for the war.

3.The rise of military alliances

The Germany sought alliance with Austria
and signed a Dual Alliance in 1879 with condition that they have to help each
other during the war. Italy joined in 1882 to form Triple Alliance. On the
other hand France-Russia treaty was signed 1890 to form Entente Cordially and
Britain join later to form Triple Entente. The rival alliances created weapons
such as bombs, guns, tanks, and created armies which were ready for the war at
any time.

4.The France desire to regain Alsace and
Lorain

Germany annexed the two provinces in
Franco-Prussian war of 1870-1871. This created grounds for revenge among the
French men hence preparing ground for WW1.

5.The Balkan crisis

The Balkan nationalism created conflicts
between Austria-Hungary and Serbia and between Austria-Hungary and Russia. The competition
between the three powers led to the assassination of Francis Ferdinand hence a
WW1.

6.Moroccan Crisis 1905 and 1911

The conflict was between France and Germany
in which Germany declared independence to Morocco which was a France colony.

THE SHORT TERM CAUSE

The immediate cause for WW1 was the
assassination of Archduke Francis Franz Ferdinand on 28th June 1914.

THE IMPACTS OF THE
FIRST WORLD WAR ON AFRICA

1.All German colonies such as Tanganyika ,
Burundi, Rwanda, Namibia, Togo and Cameroon were under League of Nations as
mandatory territories. This led to the changing of colonial administrative
systems which affected Africans.

2.Deaths among Africans especially in Germany
colonies such as Tanganyika and Togo in which the war was fought.

3.The spread of disease such as flue which
consumed the lives of thousands of Africans for Example in Tanganyika it is
approximated about 7000 people died because of flue.

4.Destruction of properties such as farms, mines
and infrastructures like railway were badly destroyed in German colonies.

5.The fall of the external trade between Europe
and Tanganyika due to the destruction of European economies such as banks and
industries.

6.There was increasing exploitation in the
colonies such as land alienation, low wages and introduction of agricultural
schemes.

THE IMPACTS OF THE
WORLD WAR IN EUROPE

1.The Germany was prevented from building naval
ships, airplanes and tanks. The number of her soldiers was limited to 100,000
soldiers.

2.The Germany was required to pay war reparation
of 6500 USD million to the winners of the wars.

3.The destruction of economies such as industries
and trade. During the war time many industries were closed.

4.Loss of lives for example it is estimated that about
13 million people died while others became disabled and orphans.

5.It led to the formation of League of Nations
which guaranteed world peace and security.

6.The Alsace and Lorraine province were returned
to France from Germany domination.

7.It led to the Great Economic Depression in
1929-1933 which affected the world economy.

8.The rise of aggressive policies which prompted
to occurrence of WW2.

2. THE GREAT ECONOMIC
DEPRESSION 1929- 1933

This was
an economic slump crashed capitalist from 29th October 1929 up to
1933. The depression started in USA and spread to Britain, Canada, Italy,
France and Austria and in colonies such as Africa and Asia. The black Tuesday
29th October 1929 was the fourth day of the market crash; it was the
worst day in the history of New York Stock Exchange and USA in which the stock
of 50 companies dropped from $252 to $62 within four days. Two months later
stock holders had lost more than 40 billion.

CHARACTERISTICS OF
GREAT ECONOMIC DEPRESSION

1.Fall of production in industries due to over
production

2.Low prices of crops and goods such as in US the
price of wheat declined.

3.Closure of banks in capitalist world for example
in US 5000 banks were closed by 1932.

4.Unemployment in the world for example over 30
million people had no jobs in US by 1932.

5.Collapse of the national income.

6.Low wages, foods shortage and poor social
services.

CAPITALIST PRODUCTION
CYCLE:

The capitalist
production has four major stages.

BOOM STAGE (PEAK)

This is the period when the economy is at the highest level.
During this period the economy has the following characteristics:

1.High level of investment

2.Lowest level of employment

3.High standard of living

4.Social and political stability

5.Expansion of trade.

CRISIS

This is the temporary decline in the economic activities and
it has the following challenges

1.Decrease in investment

2.Decrease in employment

3.Decrease in income

4.Decrease in trade

5.Decrease of commodity price

DEPRESSION STAGE

This is the period of total decline in the economy or
stagnation of the economy. It has the following characteristics;

1.Lowest level of investment.

2.Highest level of employment.

3.Lower standard of living

4.Total closure of enterprises and investment

5.Lowest level of income.

RECOVERY STAGE

This is the period when the economy starts to improve and
expand follows after a depression or a recession; It has the following
characteristics;

Investments start to expand.

1.Income increase

2.Prices start to rise.

3.Standard of living starts to rise.

4.Opening of Banks.

THE CAUSES OF THE
GREAT ECONOMIC DEPRESSION

1.The effects of WW1

The war ruined the economies of almost all
European countries. Due to the collapse of economies efforts were made to
recover economies by producing as much as possible. This created over
production of goods due to low consumption hence Great Economic Depression.

2.High Protective tariffs by US on the
imported goods from Europe.

This appealed European countries to put
tariffs on US goods as a result market was narrowed to both continents hence
over-production and great economic depression.

3.Un-equal distribution of income

The difference in income between capitalist
and workers in which workers were paid inversely proportional to what they
produced created a gap between production and consumption hence depression.

4.The fall of stock exchange.

Stock exchange is a business term which
refers to market in which workers were paid inversely proportional to what they
produced created a gap between production and consumption hence depression.

5.The failure of spectators to pay back loans
borrowed from banks

Speculators are people who trade commodities,
bonds, equities and currencies, the failure to repay the loan affected economy
hence great depression.

6.Nature of the capitalist economy

Economists believe that depression was inevitable
due to the fact that any capitalist economy has to pass four phases which are
cyclic. Boom, Crisis, Depression and Recovery. There for its nature is what
driven it to depression.

EFFECTS
OF THE GREAT ECONOMIC DEPRESSION AFRICA

1.Drastic fall of the prices of raw materials in
the African countries for example the price of sisal exported to Europe dropped
from 32 pounds per ton to 12 pounds per ton between 1931-1932.

2.Fall of worker wages; Colonial government
reduced the salaries of workers for example in Kenya the worker’s wages fell from
36/=Ksh to 10/= Ksh in 1930.

3.Unemployment; The depression caused unemployment
in many African countries because colonial government retrenched some workers
and reduced the size of army.

4.The introduction of agricultural schemes such as
ground nuts schemes in Gambia and Tanganyika.

5.Intensification of exploitation; post-depression
period witnessed the increase of tax, reduction worker’s wages, forced labor,
low price of cash crops and long working hours which were introduced by
colonialist so as to compensate their economies.

6.Social welfare for example famine and shortage
of food because there was little exportation of goods from Europe to Africa.

THE GENERAL EFFECTS
OF GREAT ECONOMIC DEPRESSION

1.The great economic depression affected the
entire capitalist nations and other small states either directly or indirectly.

2.It led to the bankruptcy of capitalists due to
failure of business and closure of enterprises.

3.Social miseries for example famine and shortage
of food.

4.The great depression, led to the collapse of the
League of Nations.

5.It led to the exploitation of most African
resources.

6.The great depression led to the rise of
dictatorship states i.e. Nazism in German, Japan and Italy.

7.The great economic depression led to withdrawal
of US loans to the European countries.

Figure 1: Family during great depression ,Carlifonia ,
1932

Figure 2: Buried machinery in a barn lot; May 1933 on the
Great Plains coincided with the Great Depression

MEASURES TAKEN BY THE
COLONIAL POWERS TO ALLEVIATE THE IMPACT OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION IN THE COLONIES

Several measures were taken by the colonial powers to revamp
the impact of the great depression on the metropolitan economies. This includes
the following;